Rain-annunciator.



JjH. sTRoUD. RAIN ANNUNGIATOR.

APPLICATION FILED DBG. 29,1913. y

Patented Septu '1, 1914.

2 SHBETS-YSHBBT 1.

J. H. STROUD.

RAIN ANNUNCIATOH.

APPLICATION FILED vDE@ 29. 191s.

1., 1 @9,48 1 Patented Spt. 1, 1914x 2' SHEETS' SHEET UNITED STATES. PATENT oFFroE.

JAMESH. STROUD, 0F MAIBEL, MINNESOTA.

nAINfaNNUNcIAToB,

Specification of Letters Patent.l Application filed December 29, 1913. Serial No. 809,359.-

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES H. STROUD, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Mabel, in the county of Fillmore and State of Minnesota, have e invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rain-Annunciators; and I do hereby declare the follouv ing to beafull, clear, and exact descrip-- Ition of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make'and use the same.

This -invention relates to rain annuncia` tors, and oneof thc principal objects oi th invention is to provide an electrically operated device of simple construction which will rin an alarm bell when thefirst rain drop :fa ls upon the` device to complete a circuit through hygroscopic elements Which bridged the terminals of the circuit.

Another object ofthe invention is to provide a small ap aratus designed to be 0perated by small atteries. for ringing a bell and announcing the fact thaty it is raining outside by lcompleting a circuit through connectors which bridged the terminals of the conductors.'

Fig. 4 is a bottom Theseand other objects may be attained by means of the construction illustrated in 1 the accompanying drawings, in which-.I

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the apparatus lwith the bell removed, Fig. 2 is a top plan View, showin'gxthe casing opened and portions in section, Fig. 3 isa top plan view of the interior support for.. the connectors,

plan view -of the insulated cover, Fig. 5 ,1s a section on an en- Fig. 1, Fig. 6 is a similar lview, takexron the line ofG-vof Fig. 1, Fig. 7 is a longitudinal verticalsectional view.

` Referring to the'drawings, the numeral 1 designatesa casing of suicient size to con- 'tain a small dry battery 2. `A supporting member 3 is fitted within the top of the casing, and secured underneath jthe support 3 are the-terminal connectorsfi. EX- v tending throutgh the support 3- and connecting one end o nected to the `binding screw 5 at one end, and

' the opposite end bears against a'spring contact 8 connected .to the battery 2. The binding screw 6 extends through the support 3 and connects a spring contact 9 with a similar contacty 10 connectedto the battery 2,

' said contact 9. bearing 'against a plate 1,1

atmosphere.

each of the wires 4 is a bind-- ing screW 5-6.v A' spring contact7 is con-v rectangular' recess in the cover 15. The con nectors 16 and 17 are provided with spaced recesses 18|-19 upon their lower edges, said recesses being formed in the alternate ends of the connectors, and secured in the said re- .upon the terminals 4.

Fitted between each pair o-f the members 16 and 17 is a hygroscopic element 20, which may be ordinary blotting paper, or other similar material of a bibulous character.

Patented Sept. 1, 1914.

provided'with the usual cas.-

v cesses are copper strips 19*t and 1Sa bearing l The device is intended to be placed upon i a window sill or` in any other place exposed to the outer atmosphere, and wheua rain drop falls upon the hygroscopic element 20, a connection is made between the two members 16-17 through the moisture to the ,plates 18a and'19a and through vthe vconnections to the bell 13, and the latter will be .operated until the device is taken in and the current switched off by means of the crank 12.

Two or more of the covers -15 may be utilized so that they may be interchanged by securinga drycover in lace of one that has beenoperated on by t e moisture in the This apparatusgis simple in construction, is .reliable in operation, is inexpensive to manufacture, and may be relied on for this purpose. v

Certain modifications Vmay be made in the details of construction without departing from the spirit andscopel of the invention as defined in the claims.

What is claimed is ,A

1. A rain annunciator comprising a casing containing a battery, a ysupport within the casing having spaced terminals connected thereto and spring contacts in connection .with the battery and an insulated cover provided with spaced connectors adapted to scribed the combination of a casing, batteries in said casing, a bell connected to the batteries, spaced terminals, and a top or cover for said casing made of a non-conducting material and provided with a recess eX- tending through the same, spaced connectors extending across the recess and spaced apart, and hygroscopic elements disposed between the connectors.

In testimony whereo:` l ax my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES H. STROUD. Witnesses:

En JOHNSON, A. L. TnrmnFsEN. 

